Bates Snags Fourth Straight
GLENDORA, Calif. (October 24, 2011) – Brett Harris and Jason Rupert entered the final event of the season this past weekend with points leads, and held on to them in capturing 2011 NHRA Hot Rod Heritage Series Championships at the California Hot Rod Reunion presented by the Automobile Club of Southern California at Auto Club Famoso Raceway.
Harris, Kaysville, Utah, led the Nostalgia Top Fuel class by 44 points over Jim Murphy coming into the event, then faced off with the Santa Rosa, Calif., resident in round 2 to clinch the championship. Harris ran 5.70’s (seconds) all day with a 5.757 second, 259.66 mph lap in beating Murphy running 5.859 seconds. The 2-time NHRA Heritage Series champion went on to face Tony Bartone, Long Island City, N.Y., in the final as the two treated the crowd to arguably the best race of the weekend, on the final pass of the weekend, with Harris taking the win in 5.725 seconds at 255.73 mph to Bartone’s quicker 5.693, 269.29.
Rupert, Yorba Linda, Calif., started the year off with a pair of final round appearances in Nostalgia Funny Car including a win at Firebird Raceway in Boise, Idaho. That was followed by a pair of first round losses, but Rupert managed to hold on to the points lead coming into this weekend’s event, followed by Paul Romine and Steven Densham in second and third respectively. Rupert qualified No. 3 and laid down the quickest run in round 1 at 5.774 seconds, 248.20 mph to knock out Steve Nichols, Newark, Del., and seal up the championship. Romine damaged his motor in qualifying ending his championship hopes and Rupert’s extra points from the round 1 win put him out of reach from Densham.
The A/Fuel Championship was a 3-way battle between Kin Bates, Bill Wayne and Jerry Kumre Jr., as Wayne, Bull Head City, Ariz., held the lead but Bates, Anderson, Calif., was coming off a win at the Nostalgia Fall Championships a week ago. Bates took out Kumre, Rohnert Park, Calif., in round one while Wayne fell to John Harless, Tulsa, Okla., giving Bates the points lead and his 4th Championship in four years. Bates faced off with Jeremy Sullivan, Riverside, Calif., in the final, taking the event win as well in 6.261 seconds, 222.25 mph to Sullivan’s 6.717, 195.65.
In Jr. Fuel, Bud Hammer was leading the chase but was not in competition due to a family emergency, and second place Dean Carter was also missing as he damaged his motor the week before when he beat Hammer in the final round of the Nostalgia Fall Championships and was unable to get it fixed. This left the door open for Fred Notzka who was in third 102 points back. Notzka, Ventura, Calif., would have to win the event to pass Hammer for the championship. Notzka qualified No. 2 and beat Johnnie Laird, Ardmore, Okla., in round 1 but fell to Don Enriquez, Mission Viejo, Calif., in round 2 ending his run which crowned Hammer the 2011 Jr. Fuel NHRA Hot Rod Heritage Series Champion. Hammer and his partner Jon Hanson also won the 2009 championship. Notzka was actually running a motor owned by Hanson, as Hanson was helping with Notzka’s team in Hammer’s absence.
Four racers were battling for the 7.0 Pro Championship which was quickly narrowed down to two with a field of 30 racers looking for a spot in the 16-car field. Mike Buersken and Rick High failed to qualify leaving numbers 1 and 2 in the points Richard Phillips and Paul Peterson to battle it out. Both advanced through first round but Peterson, Trabuco Canyon, Calif., lost in round 2 to Ronnie Lennon, Sonoma, Calif., as Phillips, Visalia, Calif., advanced to the semifinals with the championship in hand.
Racers in eight classes had already locked up NHRA Hot Rod Heritage Series Championships the prior weekend including Dale Taros, NE I; Cecil Molina, Jr., NE II; Lindsey Lister, NE III; Chris Beanes, A/Gas; Brian Rogers, B/Gas; Justin Shears C/Gas; Josh Conrad, D/Gas; and Dan Barrie in Hot Rod.
